Feeding mechanism.



R. M, OTABH & T. R. SCHOENLEBER.

FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLlCATl/ON FILED 0150.4. I91v6. Y

Patented Apr, 9, 1918-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET' l.

i?. Wh DMRB 5. B. SCHUENL {NVE/vrom Thomas R cboenlee Afla/f6.

atend. Apr, 9, 1918.

2 SHEFTS-SHEET 2 SEEDING MECHAMSM. MPLICATIOM' FILED DEC. 4, 1916.

entran sra-iras narrar' orrrce.

ROY M. OTARII AND THMAS R. SCHOENLEBER, OF SEATTLE, WASHGTON.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented apr. e, rare.

emilieation led December e, 19,16. Serial No. 135,084.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ROY M. OTARII', a.A

subject of the Emperor of Japan, and THOMAS R. SCHOENLEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a certain new and useful Improvenaent in Feeding Mechanism, of which the'following'is a specification.- Our invention relates to improvements i feeding mechanisms of machines which are employed to operate on pieces of sheetmaterial, as printing presses, machines for making paperboxes, machines for mal;- ing sheet metal boxes, and the like, and the object of our invention is to provide ,mechanism which' may be embodied in or associated with, any of said machines, in

such manner that it shall be adapted tol operate on a pile of pieces of sheet material reliably to transfer said pieces from said pile, only one at a time, to the ,position where said pieces are successively lto be^ l length of said cylinders 17 and 18.

'operated upon by the associated machine.

`We accomplish this object by'idevices 'which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings as embodied `in a machine which is especially adapted to print a desired form of indorsement upon the back of each' of successive ones of a pile of bank checks, and in which drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view ofthe same in side elevation, F ig. 3 isa view of thesame in rearward end elevation, but showing certain parts in vertical section; and Fig. el is a view of the same in vertical section on broken line 4, 4 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing', throughout which like reference numerals indicate likeV parts, a frame is formed of four vertical corner studs 5, 6, 7 andv 8 of which the studs 5 and 6 are disposed opposite each other at the rearward end of the frame while the studs 7 and 8 are opposite each other at. the

frontward end thereof, the studs 5 and 6 `being of greater height than are the studs 7 and 8, and all of said studs being rigidly connected by lower transverse bars 9 and 10, upper transverse bars 11 and 12, lower longitudinal .bars 13 and 14, and upper longitudinal bars 15 and 16. l. y

Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings formed one in each of the vertical studs 5 and 6 at opposite points therein, is a shaft 17 one end portion of which projects outwardly from the outer side of said stud 6, and upon such outwardly projecting portion is rigidly mounted a Hy wheel ldprovided with a crank 19 which may be manipulated to rotate said shaft 17.

Rotatably mounted in bearings, formed one in each of theshorter studs 7 and 8 at opposite points therein, with its axis in the same horizontal plane with the axis of the shaft 17,'is a shaft 20, and upon each of the shafts 17 and 20 is concentrically fastened a cylinder, as cylinders 21 and 22, respec tively, that extends substantially throughout the distance between the studs 5 and 6 and between the studs 7 and 8 respectively.

A. conveying belt 23, of suitable material, is operatively mounted on said cylinders 21 and 22 to extend therebetween and to travel in responseA to revolutions of the shaft 17, thus to serve as a conveyer, said belt 23 being of a width that is nearly equal to the Secured to the-upper edge portions of the longitudinal bars 15 and 16 to extend therebetween adjacent to the studs'7 and 8, is a cross-br 24 whose top. surface engages with the inner side of the conveying belt 23, thus to prevent a deflection of saidbelt 23 in response to a pressure exerted on its outer upper si'de as it travels `between the cylinder 21 and the cylinder 22.

A' box-like receptacle 25 is secured to the studs 7 .and 8, and disposed to extend thereto form an opening 27 between the rearward edge of said bottom wall 26y and the surface of the belt 23, said receptacle 25 haring no vertical rearward wall adjacent to 'the studs 7 and 8. t

The top surface of the bottom wall 26, which serves as a floor of the receptacle 25 is in the same horizontal plane with the surface of the upper outer side of the belt 23.

Extending between the studs 5 and 7 cn one side of the frame and between the studs to a line near the plane of the top surface y of the belt 23.

Disposed to be vertically slidable within the opposite slots 3l is a transverse bar 32 whose lower edge portion is curved from its front side downwardly and rearwardly to its rearward side, and to its rearward side` edge portion is fastened a strip 33 of suitable soft ielding material of a length equal e to the width of the belt 23, the yielding material of which strip may consist of softfelt, a strip of plush textile fabric filled with a padding of cotton or wool, or it may consist of a softbrush, the underside of said strip 33 being disposed to project downwardly lower than the bottom edge of the slidable transverse bar 32 to which it is fastened whereby its bottom edge may yieldingly engage with the outer upper surface of said belt 23.

The force of the yielding engagement of said strip 33 is adjustably regulated by the *rotation of adjusting screws 34 provided in the transverse bar 12, the points of which adjusting screws 34 are associated with helical compression springs (like the spring 35) disposed on the top surface of the vertically slidable transverse bar 32.

8, to extend therebetween, is another transverse bar 36, as shown in Fig. 4, to the bottom edge .of which transverse bar 36 is attached a brush 37, which extends for a distance equal to the width of the belt 23, the bristles of which brush 37 are disposed yieldingly to engage with the surface of the upper portion of said belt 23.

The force of the yielding engagement of the bristles of the brush 37 with the belt 23 may be adjust-ably regulated, by adjusting srews 38 and associated helical springs like the helical spring 39 shown-in Fig. 4, in a manner similar to that by which the yielding engagement between vthe strip 33 l and the belt 23 is regulated.

Rotatably disposed in bearingsA formed at opposite points in the studs 5 andA 6 loe-- neath the cylinder 2lis a shaft 40 upon which is concentrially mounted a cylinder lil which is covered will). a layer 42 of suitable.. oft, elastic, compressible material, as, for ihstance,`=the gelatin-like composition of which printers ink rollers are made, soft Disposed to be slidably vertical within theA opposite disposed slots 30 of the studs 7 and Lacasse blotting papeigor felt, which layer is disposed yieldingly to engage with the outside surface of the lower portion of the moving belt 23 at the point lwhere said'belt 23 leaves the periphery of the cylinder 17, as shown in Fig. 4.

h Both of the lvertical' studs', and 6, from their top ends downwardly to points near the bearings of the shaft 17, are bifurcated by slots like the slot 43, and upon' the bottom of each of said slots is disposed a cushion 44 of yielding material, as soft vulcanized rubber, and within the slot-43 of each of the studs 5 and 6 is a shaft bearing block, like the shaft bearing block 45 shown in Fig. 3, which bearing block 45 is yieldingly supported by a cushion j K Upon the top of each of the bearing blocks 45 is removably disposed a shive, like the shive 46 yshown in Fig. 3', which shive 46 may be of unyielding material, or e of material less yielding than is the material of the cushion 44. l

Upon the top of the shives 46, within the slots 43, are oppositely disposed shaftbearing blocks 47 Upon. the top of each of the bearing blocks 47 is disposed a helical compression spring 48 whose top end is associated with an adjusting screw, as adjusting screws 49, which extends through the transverse bar ll, vwhereby a rotation of said adjusting screws 49 may cause the helical springs 4S to exert a greater or lesser force which tends toforce downwardly the bearing blocks 47 and 45 in opposition to the action of the cushion 44.

Rotaiiably mounted within the bearings of the bearing blocks 45 is a shaft 50, one end portion of which projects outwardly from the outer side of the stud 5, and mounted in the bearings of the bearing blocks 47 is a shaft 5l, one end portion of which also projects outwardly from the outer side of said stud A5.

Fixed en the outwardly projecting end portions of both of the shafts 50 and 5l are gearwheels 52 and 53, respectively, which operatively engage with each other, said. gearwheel 52 also being adapted to engage ,with another gearwheel54 which is liXed on the adjacent end of the shaft 17 whereby a rotation of the shaft 17 will cause the shafts 50 and 5l to rotate synchronously therewith.

Concentrically mounted upon the shaft 50 is a cylinder 55 upon opposite portions of which are fixed type-holding devices 56 and 57 which are adapted to hold removable type, or removable stereotypic plates in such positions that the bases of their type will be in a circle concentric with the axis of the shaft 50; such circle being of a diameter tol cause the faces of such type to engage with the outside surface of the belt 23 as said it passes on the bottom wall 26 saidrecepta Lacasse carried by the cylinder 55.

Thus, if a piece of paper be laid upon the belt 28 and thereupon the shaft 17 be rotated by the crank 19, in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, then said beltfQS will carry said piece of'paper between thecylinder 21 and the face of the type mounted on the cylinder 55, thus to cause such'type to print their characters on said piece of paper, and as said piece of paper passes outwardly from between the cylinders 51 and 55 to a transversely disposed plate whose ends are fastened to the studs 5 and 6 to extend therebetween, as indicated in Fig. 4.

Secured to the frontward sides of the vertical studs 7 and 8, adjacent to the opening 27, are oppositely disposed bearing brackets 61 and 62, within which'is rotatably mounted4 a shaft 63 that is provided with oppositely disposed yielding ns 64, of flexible sheet material, which extends lengthwise of said shaft 63 for a. distance equal to the .width of the interior of the receptacle 25,

and said shaft 63 is so disposed that, the edge portions of said fins 64 project above the plane of the floor of the receptacle 25 as they are revolved by the shaft 63.

One end portion of the shaft 63 projects outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the outer side of the stud 7, and on said outwardly projecting end portion is a grooved pulley 65 whose groove registers with the groove ofV another grooved pulley 66 which is fastened on to the adjacent outwardly projecting end portion of the shaft 20 that is adapgte'd to be rotated by the belt 23 in response to a rotation of the driving shaft 17.

Operatively mounted on the grooved pulleys 65 and 66 is a belt 67, of circular crosssection, by which motion may becomniunicated from 'the sli-aft 20 to the shaft The machine which thus embodies our invention as illustrated and described isv especially adapted for use in banks anf in clearing houses of associated banks for the purpose of indorsing a large number of bank checks and bank drafts nucli more quickly than such papers can be handled and indorsed by a hand stamp, and its oper ation may be described as follows:

pile of bank checks as vbank checks designated by the numerals 68 in A. c and 4', are disposed within the r fi all with'their backs upward to rj tthe type associated with the cylinder 55.

Thereupon the crank handle 19 is manipulated to actuate the belt 23 to travel in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, with the result that rotary motion will be communicated to the shaft 63 'thereby to cause'the flexible fins 64 frictionally to engage with'the lowermost one of said bank checks 68 with the result that said lowermost bank check will be bulged upwardly and carried forward to cause its edge portion to be deflected downwardly from the adjacent one of the other bank checks, then such edge portion is engaged by the frictional surface of the belt 23 to which it is pressed by the strip 33 whereby said belt will carry said lowermost one of said bank Achecks 68 rearwardly to pass between the cylinder 21 and the rotating .face of the type associated with the cylinder 55 thus to print upon the back of said bank check the characters of said type which may constitute the required indorsement.

The adjacent one of the upper bank checks will be detained by the strip 83 and the brush 37 until after the preceding bank check has left the brush 37. Thus successive ones, and one at a time only, of said pile of bank checks 68 will be indorsed in refY sponse'to revolutions of the shaft 17 irrespective ofrate of speed at which said shaft 17 may be driven.

The adjusting 'screws 34 and 38 may be actuated to adjust accurately the required pressure on the successivebank checks 68 and the adjusting screws 49 may serve to 100 cause the compression springs 48 to exert a required pressure on the cylinder 55, the shives 46 being made of a" thickness lthat will cause the ink roller 59 properly to ink The layer 42 of material on the cylinder 41 by its contact with the outer side-of, the belt23 serves to act like a blotterl to absorb and remove any, ink that may accidentally or incidentally be deposited thereon thus to keep the face of bank checks free from blots.

Gbviously, feeding mechanism embodying our invention may be embodied in any machine which is designed to operate upon successive pieces of sheety material, and, manifestly, changes may bev made in the forms, dimensions and arrangement of parts of ourv invention` without departing'from the spirit thereof. l2() VVhatw'e claim is:

1'. A feeding mechanism lof the class deI scribechwhich embodies a supportin frame; two 'shafts rotatably mounted yin bearings -fixed in said frame, said shafts being disposed parallel with" and spaced from each other; a cylinder concentrically mounted on each of said two shafts, one of said cylinders constituting the receiving end portion of a conveyer and the other constituting the de= 1%@ lOL permost portion of' the periphery 3o side of said strip shaft whereby the livery end portion of said conveyer; an endless conveyer belt operatively mounted on said two shafts and adapted to receive successive pieces ofl sheet material at the upof the cylinder at the receiving end portion of said .conveyor and successively to carry said pieces and deliver them from the uppermost portion of the periphery of the cylinder of lo the delivery end portion of said conveyer; a

support disposed with one of its edges parallel with and spaced from the cylinder at the receiving end of said conveyer with its top surface substantially in the same plane with 15 the uppermost surface of said conveyer belt and 'adapted to support a pile of pieces of sheet material in such position that an edge of the lowermost one of said pieces shall be adjacent to the uppermost surface of said' 2o conveyer belt; a s trip of soft yielding material adjustably disposed to engage with the uppermost surface of said belt conveyer on a transverse line thereof that is adjacent to the uppermost portion of the periphery of the cylinder at the receiving end of said /conveyerg a brush adjustably disposed to engage its bristles with the uppermost surface of said belt Gonveyer through a transverse line thereon adjacent tothe rearward of soft yielding material; a shaft rotatably disposed between that cylinder at the receiving end of theconveyer and the adjacent edge of said support in parallel line therewith, and provided with 35 oppositely disposed flexible tins that project radially from its cylindrical surface for such distance as will cause their edges to intersect the plane of the top surface of said support in response to a rotation'of said bottom one of a pile of pieces of sheet material willl be engaged by said fins to movesuch one piece into engagement with said belt conveyer and said strip thus to cause said pieceto be withdrawn from said support' of soft yielding material by the joint action of said belt conveyer and Laeaees said strip of soft yielding mazerial; and means for communicating rotary motion from said shaft of that cylinder at the receiving end of the conveyer to that shaft provided with said tins.

2. A feeding device'of the class described comprising a pair of spaced `rollers, a belt connection between said rollers, means engaging said belt adjacent one of said rollers, a support adapted to contain a 'Vpluralityof superposedsheets of material,

means operated by the movement of said.

rotatable single feeding of*v 4. A feeding device of the class described I comprising a pair of spacedrollers, abelt connection between said rollers, rotatable means engaging said belt adjacent one of said rollers, a support adapted to contain a plurality of superposed sheets of materia-l and means operated by the movement of said belt singly to feed the sheets to said belt, and a tensioned abutment and tensioned flexible member arranged adjacent ,the pile of sheets and said belt to insure the single feed of-the sheets.

ln witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 22nd day of November, A. D., 1916. i

ROY OTARH. THOMAS R.. SCHOENLEBER, Witnesses:

FRANK lVARRnN, 0. JOHNSON. 

